 Stories About: advice AND agriculture AND Ask Umbra AND green living
| Headline |
Author |
Published |
Section |
Do Me a Fava
On soil health |
Umbra Fisk |
07 May 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
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| Topics: advice, agriculture, Ask Umbra, green living (all these topics) |
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Cash and Carroty
On joining a CSA |
Umbra Fisk |
10 Mar 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Umbra, I have heard mention of community-supported agriculture programs but don't really know what they are. The name sounds very cool, but can you let me in on the specifics? Bryties Redding, Calif. Dearest Bryties, The springtime alarm is sounding, and your question is perfectly timed. Some of you might be experiencing hints of spring right now, some not (like me! I'm in a secret location where the all-time snowfall record is under t ... |
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| Topics: advice, agriculture, Ask Umbra, food, green living (all these topics) |
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Puff the Toxic Dragon
On green reasons to quit smoking |
Umbra Fisk |
15 May 2003 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I want to quit smoking. As if the risks to my health weren't enough, could you help out by twisting that knife of guilt into my tree-hugging heart and give me some environmental reasons to stop supporting the tobacco industry? Cough, wheeze, Elaine Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada Dearest Elaine, I don't care whether you smoke or not. In fact, I think anti-smoking hype is often thinly disguised clas ... |
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| Topics: advice, agriculture, Ask Umbra, food and agriculture, green living, health, toxics (all these topics) |
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The Organic Verses
On organic food and farming |
Umbra Fisk |
26 Nov 2002 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I try to buy organic food where possible, but I notice that there is often a tradeoff with other factors. For example, organic food has often been shipped further and/or is more heavily packaged. How do I assess those tradeoffs? Ellen Watertown, Mass. Dearest Ellen, As I've mentioned before, the USDA national organic standards came into effect last month, an event that has caused both rejoicing and concern in t ... |
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| Topics: advice, agriculture, Ask Umbra, CSAs, farmers markets, food, food and agriculture, green living, local food, organic food, sustainable ag (all these topics) |
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Just Spray No
On fruit sprays and organic food |
Umbra Fisk |
26 Nov 2002 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, The tangerines I bought recently had this on the label: "Thiabendazole and/or orthopenylphenol and/or imazalil used as fungicides, and coated with food-grade shellac based wax or resin to maintain freshness." Presumably the shellac stays on the skin and does not affect the fruit, but what about the other products? What are these products and do we know what the impact of spraying or putting them on the ... |
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| Topics: advice, agriculture, Ask Umbra, food, food and agriculture, green living, industrial ag, organic food, toxics (all these topics) |
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Grease Be With You
Advice on converting to biodiesel |
Umbra Fisk |
10 Oct 2002 |
Ask Umbra |
| Umbra, I own a diesel VW Golf, which I bought thinking it was a better choice for the environment than a gasoline engine. Therefore, I was disappointed to read your message that diesel is probably a worse choice. However, you didn't talk at all about biodiesel. Can you give us a rundown on this fuel -- how to get it, how it may be beneficial, and what you might have to do to ensure your car can run on it safely? Thank ... |
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| Topics: advice, agriculture, Ask Umbra, biofuels, cars, energy, food and agriculture, green living, greenhouse-gas emissions, placemaking (all these topics) |
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A New Day Lawning
On lawn and garden pesticides |
Umbra Fisk |
30 Jul 2002 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dearest Umbra, Goddess of Green Knowledge, A few years ago, a farmer friend of mine argued that more pesticides and chemical fertilizers are applied to suburban lawns and gardens than are used in commercial agriculture. I can see how this might be the case, given the massive size of the lawn and garden chemical industry, but I haven't been able to verify this information. Can you help? Ed Hunt Dearest Ed, Supplicant, The l ... |
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| Topics: advice, agriculture, Ask Umbra, gardening, green living, health, toxics (all these topics) |
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